Rail-joint.



G. EDIGK.

RAIL" JOINT. APPLIOATION nun Jun, 1912. 1,()5O-, 628 Patented Jan. 14, 1913. Y 2 snEnTs's11n1iT 1.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGIIAPH CO-i WASHINGTON. D. C.-

G. EDIGK.

RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2,- 1912.

1,050,628, Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

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awwmoz 8 Geozye Zdz'c GEORGE EDICK, 0F ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

Application filed July 2, 1912. Serial No. 707,292.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE EDIoK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albuquerque, in the county of Bernalillo and State of New Mexico, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in railway rail fasteners.

In carrying out the invention it is my purpose to provide means adapted for securing railway rails wherein the necessity of the employment of bolts passing through the webs of the rail will be dispensed wit-h.

I also aim to provide fastening or connecting means for rail ends which shall embody a chair having a flanged member, the same being provided with a pocket for the reception of a spring pressed bond for electrically connecting the rails, the device also contemplating the employment of a flanged wedge or fish plate which acts in conjunction with the chair and which is secured thereon through the medium of a wedge block Which is provided with a gravity pawl that effectively retains the block upon the chair, and as a consequence the wedge or fish plate upon the chair, as well as upon the rails.

Other objects will appear and will be better understood from that embodiment of my invention of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating my invention connecting a pair of rails. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view upon the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view upon the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View upon the line 4% of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view upon the line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the chair. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the bond. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the wedge member.

The rail ends AA are of the ordinary construction, and the base flanges of the rails adjacent their longitudinal edges are each provided with a plurality of spaced notches 2.

The numeral 3 designates the chair, the same being provided with a horizontally straight base 4 having one of its longitudinal edges upset and provided with an overlying flange &' which is integrally formed wit-h a vertical extension 5. The central portion of the overlying flange with its vertical member is centrally enlarged as designated by the numeral 5, and the inner face of the vertical member at a suitable distance above its juncture with the overlying flange is formed with a longitudinally extending pocket 6. This pocket is adapted to receive an electric conducting plate or bond 7, this bond having its opposite ends reduced from its outer face and bent inwardly to provide lips 8 which receive the opposite ends of a bow spring 9. The spring 9 is adapted to normally force the plate partially from the pocket, and into engagement with the webs of the rails AA at their meeting ends. The chair is provided with a plurality of lugs 10 which are provided upon the inner face of the upset edge of the said chair and which also connect with the base and with the overlying flange. These lugs 10 are adapted to correspond in number with the notches in the base flanges of the rails AA, and the said lugs are adapted to engage within the said depressions when the rail ends are assembled upon the chair. The opposite longitudinal edge of the chair is upset to provide a flange 11, the said flange having its inn-er vertical wall straight, and the said inner wall is inclined from one of the trans verse edges of the chair toward the opposite transverse edge thereof, the purpose of which will presently be set forth. This edge of the chair as well as the flange 11 provided thereon is formed with a plurality of notches 12, the same being adapted for the reception of spikes, whereby the chair is secured upon the rail ties. The central portion of the chair between the notches 12, is provided with a substantially rectangular opening 13, and the under face of the chair is enlarged as at 14 to provide extensions for the walls formed by the said opening 13.

The numeral 15 designates an angular wedge or fish plate. This plate is adapted to have its inner faces engage with the web and base flanges of the rails A-A, and the lower longitudinal edge or wall of the said plate 15 is inclined to correspond with the inclined inner edge of the flange 11. The plate 15 is provided with depressed portions 16 which, when the said plate is arranged upon the chair, are disposed opposite the notches 12, and are adapted to receive the rectangular securing element for the plate 15. The member 18 is of a size sufficient to be snugly received within the opening 13 and to contact with the walls formed by the recess 17 of the plate 15. The member 18 is further provided with a gravity catch 19, the same being formed with teeth 20 which are adapted to engage with one of the transverse walls provided by the opening 13 and to thus securely retain the memher 19 within the opening, and as a consequence the plate 15 upon the chair and against the rail ends.

The gravity catch 19 is formed with a rearwardly extending tail 21, the same serving for the reception of a suitable tool which, upon depression is adapted to swing the catch 19 upon its pivotal connection with the member 18 to bring its teeth 21 out of engagement with the wall provided by the opening 13 and thus permit of the withdrawal of the member 18 and the separation of the plate 15 from the chair and a consequent removal of the rails, if desired.

In order to facilitate the removal of the member 18, I have provided the outer face of the said member with a depression or pocket 22, the same being normally arranged in a plane with the upper edge of the flange 11 whereby the said flange may serve as a fulcrum point for a suitable tool which is inserted within the said pocket 20, and permit of the member 18 being pried out of the pocket.

Although I have shown and described, one

embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the specific organization and arrangement of parts, since various changes may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination with rail ends; of a chair for the rail ends, said chair having an upset port-ion formed with a flange which overlies the base of the chair, and with a vertical extension, the base being provided with lugs which connect with the upset portion and overlying flange, the opposite longitudinal edge of the chair being also formed with an upset flange, the inner wall of which being inclined from one of the ends of the chair to the opposite end thereof, this flange and the chair being formed with a pocket, the rail ends having notched flanges which are adapted to receive the lugs, an angular fish plate having a beveled lower longitudinal edge which is adapted to co-act with the inclined face of the flange, a wedge member provided with a gravity catch adapted to be received within the opening of the chair to lock the plate upon the chair and against the rails.

2. The combination with rail ends, a chair underlying and supporting the rails, a fish plate for the chair, a wedge member coacting with the fish plate and with the chair, and a gravity catch provided upon the wedge member for locking the fish plate upon the chair, and against the rails.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE EDIGK.

WVitnesses CHARLES TARTAGLIA, CHAS. HEWITT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). C. 

